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Birthing Center

The UK Birthing Center is the leading facility in Central Kentucky specializing in high-risk pregnancies and deliveries. In addition to the newly renovated labor and delivery facilities, we have the only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit in the region.

The UK Birthing Center is located on the third floor of the UK Chandler Hospital. The Birthing Center includes 13 labor and delivery rooms, three operating room suites, 17 mother and baby rooms and a four-bed newborn nursery. We look forward to helping you welcome the newest member of your family.

We want to make your delivery and hospital stay a special experience. Please contact our Childbirth Education Coordinator if you have questions or need further assistance at 859-323-2750.

Check In

When you arrive, you will register at the Birthing Center Check In desk.

Triage

The Triage Area is a four-bed unit where we examine you if think you are in labor. It’s also where we evaluate you for any concerns during your pregnancy when your doctor is not available.

Evaluation by a Nurse & Doctor

While in our Triage Area, a registered nurse and a doctor will evaluate you. Your blood pressure, temperature and your baby’s fetal heart rate will be monitored.

Labor & Delivery Suite

If you are admitted, you will move from Triage to a labor and delivery suite. Our labor and delivery rooms are equipped with a sleep chair for one overnight guest. Free wifi is available in all rooms for your use.

A Variety of Laboring and Pushing Positions

Our labor and delivery beds can be used for various laboring and pushing positions. We also have birthing balls, peanut balls, squat bars, portable monitors and mirrors.

After Delivery: Mother & Baby Skin to Skin

If you and your baby are healthy, we will clean and dry your baby and immediately place him or her skin-to-skin and belly to belly with you. We will place a diaper and hat on your baby and cover you both with warm blankets. We have found that this is the best way to regulate your baby’s temperature and heart rate after birth.

Your baby will spend their first hour skin-to-skin with you. Often babies will move over to latch on for their first breastfeeding from this position. Your nurse will stay with you during this time. A lactation consultant is often available for the first feeding. If you have a cesarean section, your baby will be brought to you in the Recovery Room as soon as you are stable for skin-to-skin.

Weighing & Measuring

After the first hour, your baby will be weighed, measured and given necessary medications. Then your baby will be placed skin-to-skin with you or your partner for an additional hour.

Mother & Baby Unit

You and your baby will be transferred to the Mother and Baby Unit, where you will spend two days if you have a vaginal delivery and three days if you have cesarean section. Throughout your stay, our staff will help you learn to care for your newborn. We practice rooming in, which means your baby will stay with you 24 hours a day. By doing this, you can learn how to care for your baby and recognize early signs of hunger or feeding cues.

Discharge & Mommy and Me Clinic

Your nurse will give you discharge information and have you make an appointment with your baby’s pediatrician. If you are breastfeeding, we will encourage you to have an appointment at our Mommy and Me Clinic.

Infant Car Seats

Bringing the carrier portion of your infant car seat to your hospital room will make it easier to strap your infant in before the ride home. Mom and baby will be wheeled down to the car together.

Kentucky Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Fayette County want you to have all the proper safety information to protect your newborn. If you need any help with properly installing your car seat, Safe Kids Fayette County conducts free car seat checks.

Kentucky Children's Hospital is for all of Kentucky's children and is dedicated to providing a wide range of specialty services for the treatment of all disease and disabilities in infants, children and adolescents. It houses a 55-bed inpatient center, a 12-bed pediatric intensive care unit, eight beds for 23-hour admissions and observation and a 66-bed NICU: the only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit in the region. If your child needs a specialty care, visit the Kentucky Children's Hospital website.

Twilight Children's Clinic - If your child can't wait until the next morning, the Twilight Children's Clinic offers you the convenience of after-hours physician services for sudden and severe symptoms. For more information: call 859-257-6730 or visit the Twilight Children's Clinic Web page.

The SAFE KIDS Fayette County Coalition is comprised of members from public, private and voluntary organizations who work to prevent unintentional harm to children due to traffic injuries, fire and burns, drowning, poisoning, choking and falls. Led by Kentucky Children's Hospital, our members strive to increase public awareness, provide education, and advocate environmental and policy changes. Safe kids offers free car seat checks and helpful tips and information to help keep your child safe. For more information, contact our Safe Kids coordinator at 859-323-1153 or visit the Safe Kids website.